Real Madrid are reportedly prepared to spend as much as £200m to secure the signing of Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe.
In the summer of 2022, it appeared highly likely that the 2018 World Cup winner would make a long-anticipated transfer to the Santiago Bernabeu.
However, the France international made a dramatic U-turn, committing his immediate future to PSG but giving himself the option of departing at a later date.
A scenario materialised earlier this year where Mbappe informed PSG of his plans to leave as a free agent in 2025, much to the annoyance of club officials who justifiably do not want to lose their most prized asset for nothing.
As a result, a number of weeks passed by where the 24-year-old was excluded from the plans of the first-team squad and left on the sidelines.
Since then, a resolution has been found for Mbappe to be reintegrated back into the fold, since scoring five goals from just two starts and one substitute outing.
Nevertheless, the expectation remains that he will ultimately leave Parc des Princes at the end of the season, with the assumption being that Real remain the clear frontrunners.
According to Sport, Los Blancos will press ahead with trying to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with Mbappe at the turn of the year.
More recently, there have been claims that Mbappe may be prepared to agree fresh terms with PSG as a compromise to allow his club to recoup some money for his signature.
Instead, it is alleged that leaving for the La Liga giants on a free transfer still remains the most likely outcome, regardless of whether Mbappe remains in the PSG team or not.
Real have allegedly set aside in the region of £200m to complete a deal, although that could be spent on a signing-on fee and wages for Mbappe.
Carlo Ancelotti is having to make do without a recognised world-class number nine during 2023-24, a consequence of Karim Benzema having not been replaced.
Espanyol forward Joselu has been acquired on a season-long loan deal, while Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo - usually wingers - have been used as a central two.
